Blood Donations By Farangs

[Cheeky Farang]

Blood Donations by Farangs

Do you donate?

Over the past year or so there has been emergency appeals for rare blood groups on Thai Visa and other websites.

I was wondering, how many of us donate our blood here in Thailand, and more importantly do the Farangs that live in the moo-barns in the middle of “nowhereaburi “ donate to their own blood banks at the local hospital? (Lets hope they never need it back)

Questions: -

Are the local hospitals geared up for this?

Will they keep our own blood?

Do they only let donations on given days?

Can you trust them to use NEW needles?

Have any of you had the need for blood or blood products?

How about a EMERGENCY DONOR LIST ON THAI VISA ?

Below is a populous blood grouping throughout the world and make interesting reading.

The frequency of the four main groups O, A, B and AB varies in populations throughout the world. The rarer blood groups are often found in donors with similar ethnic backgrounds. For example, in the UK, over all just 9% of the population are B group. Yet in people from an Asian background, 25% have this blood group. Many people with rare blood groups or suffering from conditions which require regular blood such as thalassaemia, leukaemia and those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, need closely matched blood. If they have a rarer group, we do sometimes struggle to get a perfect match for them.

Sufferers of Beta Thalassaemia Major, are 100% dependent on donors – without them, they wouldn’t be alive. But they need the right match, which means blood donated by people with rarer blood groups, found in donors from similar ethnic backgrounds. We are only too aware that blood donors do not, at present, reflect Britons rich multicultural population.

Where did these different blood groups come from? In the same way that people, cultures and languages change from country to country, so do blood groups. This means that some types are more common in certain ethnic and national groups and, despite the fact these groups become more mixed as people move around the globe, it’s still possible to see how blood groups differ from population to population.

The O group is the oldest of the blood groups. Back in the Stone Age, everyone would have been O – and today it’s still the most common group in the UK, especially in the North of England. Over in Central and South America and the USA most people are O too. The fact that anyone can receive O blood reflects the fact that all other blood groups are derived from it.

Any thoughts from fellow Thai Visa Bods ?

[shopgurl]

Are the local hospitals geared up for this?

- Usually local hospitals would not accept blood donations unless there is a request from patients on-going at that time but you can call and check the hospital to confirm this.

Will they keep our own blood?

- I'm not sure about what you're asking here but I think they would keep it after tests have been done to insure safety in the event of stds or other diseases.

Do they only let donations on given days?

- You can contact the Red Cross over at Lumpinee 022524106-9

Blood donations can be given every 3 months and plasma every 14 days. I believe they are open daily. There are also mobile units that go around to schools and office buildings, very convenient, my last 3 times were done from my office building. You can contact them and ask for the schedule.

Can you trust them to use NEW needles?

- With the Red Cross I trust them and you can have a look when they change the needle whether it's from a new package or not.

Have any of you had the need for blood or blood products?

- Need for blood no but I did get some pills to take after donating blood.

How about a EMERGENCY DONOR LIST ON THAI VISA ?

- Honestly haven't donated yet usually since I learn about it too late.

[bollox]

Blood Donations by Farangs

Do you donate?

Blood donation is a good thing and everyone should be encouraged to participate. However, I honestly wouldn't want such blood of a 'Cheeky Bastard' ?

[shopgurl]

<deleted> - in no reference to the thread but your avatar is disturbingly funny but cool.

[SK1972]

Well, I used to donate as I have O+ blood type............but I cant now as I have low blood pressure!!!!